8 Habits of Women With Perfect Skin

You don't need excellent genes to have great skin. We asked women ages 24 to 83 to share their perfect-skin secrets -- here's what they said

The Habit: They're Meticulous About Washing Their Face While the makeup routines of our interviewees varied, they all have one thing in common: They remove every speck of it every single night.

To wash away every last trace of dirt, pollution and makeup from the day, do as the flawlessly skinned (and Japanese) do, and double cleanse. Carol, 24, always uses an oil cleanser to remove her makeup before washing with her regular cleanser to get her face squeaky-clean and ensure no pore-clogging makeup is left. Bonus points if you use a sonic cleansing brush, like the classic Clarisonic, a product many respondees are fans of.

Why you should try it: Remember those pesky free radicals? If you don't thoroughly wash your face at night, not only are you leaving oil-clogging makeup behind, you're also leaving wrinkle-causing pollution all over your face. In the short term, going to bed without washing your face can lead to breakouts and uneven skin tone; in the long term, it leads to free radical damage (AKA wrinkles and dullness).